A number of different devices and methods currently exist for making ornamental surfaces. One method for making ornamental floor surfaces comprises the use of a number of geometrically shaped tile units wherein each tile unit is individually manufactured and the floors are installed unit by unit. Disadvantages associated with this method are that the installation of the tile units is burdensome, the method can result in significant alignment errors between the tiles, the tiles are susceptible to damage during transportation, and the tiles are expensive to transport due to their size and weight.
Existing methods also sometimes utilize spacers which may be filled with colored materials between the individual tile units. Another method currently used to increase the ornamentation of tile floors is to engrave lines on the surface of the tiles. Disadvantages of this method are that the floor surface often becomes pitted due to the engraving and results in a surface which retains dirt and is very difficult to clean.
None of these methods are suitable for floors or other surfaces with a high degree of ornamentation, decoration, and multi-shaped tiles as the assembly and installation required by these methods is very complex. Furthermore, the use of pre-manufactured tiles often leads to a high incidence of breakage during manufacture, transportation, and installation thereby increasing costs. Additionally, floor installations using these methods are very time consuming, require specially trained individuals to install the tiles, and are therefore expensive to produce.
Another method currently used for making ornamental floors is to hand cut marble tiles piece by piece in order to create geometrical shapes on a floor surface. This method often results in a great deal of marble waste, requires specially trained technicians to install the marble, is extremely time consuming, limits the variety and complexity of ornamentation available, and is prohibitively expensive.